Dr Asim allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment

Dr. Hussain appeared before the court today (Saturday) to attend hearing of graft reference, which also involves other people.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) produced two witnesses – Saeed Rizwan and Muhammad Taj – before the court to record their statement.

However, Dr Asim Hussain filed an appeal requesting the court to allow him travel abroad to get medical treatment. The court granted the request and allowed the former federal minister to fly out of the country from November 27 to December 20.

The accused will be required to return to the country by the time specified by the court.

Dr. Asim has been reportedly suffering from a back ailment and he had been granted permissions to travel abroad on medical grounds previously as well. The name of Dr. Asim is placed on the exit control list (ECL) owing to graft charges against him.

Corruption charges against Dr. Asim

An accountability court last year had indicted Dr Hussain, ex-petroleum secretary Ejaz Chaudhry and others in an over Rs 460 billion corruption reference.

Dr Hussain was taken into custody on August 26, 2015 by Rangers on different corruption charges.

After 19 months, his bail plea was referred to a referee judge for final orders. The referee judge, Justice Aftab Ahmed Gorar, granted bail to the accused earlier this year.

Dr Asim faced charges of misusing his authority for getting plots allotted fraudulently and encroaching upon state land for expansion of Dr Ziauddin Hospital/Trust, money laundering, illegal gains, kickbacks, commission through fertiliser cartel for illegal curtailment of gas for exploitative price hike and defrauding people in the name of charity hospital.